Dolce Vita
by tempsthe
Summary: Caroline owns an ice cream shop which seems to attract every supernatural creature she's ever encountered (and when Kol Mikaelson, back from the dead, asks her for a job - excuse me, what, pause, rewind). Season 7 AU! No pairings yet!
1. Chapter 1

**summary | Caroline owns an ice cream shop which seems to attract every supernatural creature she's ever encountered (and when Kol Mikaelson, back from the dead asks her for a job - excuse me, what, pause, rewind).**

 **la dolce vita**

| blood on your hands, but your hands still roam |

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This is what Caroline remembers of Kol. He's dashing, but then again his entire family is. He's also very much crazy (and not the I like to pretend I'm a unicorn crazy), no, the kind that tries to kill her best friend and her little brother. He's the reason that they have to trap Klaus in the Gilbert house and she gets bitten by a werewolf – again.

But most importantly, what Caroline remembers about Kol Mikaelson is that he is dead – and not undead like so many of her friends, but dead, dead. A white oak stake piercing his heart and ash, so much ash (and cheering - she remembers cheering).

"Why are you here again?" When Caroline decides to pack a bag and disappear very, very far away from Mystic Falls – she decides to leave far away. Supernatural world be damned, it cost her enough already.

"There's a help wanted sign on the door." He looks at her as if she is just a dumb blonde and he has to speak very slowly so she can understand him. She bites her tongue to keep from insulting him and merely raises an eyebrow.

"You want a job. You?" He nods his head – again – running a hand through his messy black hair. "And besides the fact that you tried to kill my best friends more time than I can count, why would I hire you?" Her voice squeaks and she's glad that the last customer's already left.

He sighs, looking bored and so out of place in her blue and pink shop. If anyone has the right to be impatient, it's her. He's lucky she doesn't throw his sorry ass from her shop.

"Look, Caroline." Here it is, with the holier than thou attitude. "I could go on and on about how I'm back and that I don't want to go look for my family in New Orleans, but I think you already figured that out." She nods. "Just give me the damn job, I'm a thousand-year-old vampire, I can handle this."

"You do realize that I'll expect you to actually work?" And she can't even believe that she's considering this. "That you'll have to show up on time? That you'll have to serve customers and wipe tables and actually be pleasant." He rolls his eyes – she ignores him. "No feeding on the customers, no blood stains on the table…"

"I get it." And he really does seem to get it.

He wants to get away and actually have a chance at normalcy? Well, she can't fault him for that – she opened this place exactly for that purpose, to forget that her mother will never come back or that Mystic Falls is doomed to eat at her friends and family until none of them remains.

She wants to roll her eyes at herself because she really is too nice and when she looks into his eyes, hazel and crystal blue battling so well, she can actually recognize an emotion in them. She's nodding her head before she can stop herself and takes a deep breath.

"Fine." His face relaxes until there's only a shit eating grin displayed on his cool features. "You'll have to wear the pink apron." She thinks that will wipe the smile on his face, but it only seems to widen.

"I look good in everything, sweets." She wonders what it is with man with accents always giving her pet names. All she knows is that he is looking at her like he's ready to kiss her – on the top, with tongue – and she's already started regretting this.

.

.

 _Fast-forward two months…_

Business is good, she'd always had a decent amount of customers, but it's even better since Kol started working for her - she won't ever admit that to him and certainly not out loud to anyone else but herself even under extreme torture.

"What can I get for you, beautiful?" And the trio of girls who look young and human and so full of life and just normal, Caroline's almost envious, giggle with eagerness and one blushes so furiously that Caroline thinks she might faint.

"Oh, just pistachio for me." There's a lineup, one they both manage with ease. The perks of being vampires, Caroline guesses. You don't feel the soreness from standing up for so many hours on end and they move fast enough that she hasn't bothered hiring another person and has taken down the help wanted sign.

Caroline rolls her eyes and Kol's smirk widens when he notices she's staring. She bites back an insult and instead uses her best sugar-coated smile for the man next to the three girls.

"What can I get for you?" The man stammers, caught off guard by her toothpaste commercial smile and her pretty blonde hair and she pats herself on the back mentally because she can still have that effect on men without using compulsion. He points to the strawberry and she licks her lips. She beams when he leaves her a five-dollar tip for a three-dollar ice cream bowl.

"Using your charms for money, that's my kind of girl." She elbows him so hard he actually doubles over. He lets out a curse word and she completely forgets he exists as the second wave of people starts rushing inside for ice cream.

Caroline doesn't admit that she likes to work with him, that him being here makes her feel a little less lonely and even if more than half the time they banter or actually hurt each other, it makes her feel safe to know she isn't alone.

And he never tells her that he appreciates her, that she reminds him of Bekah when she talks about shopping or redecorating the shop and he tunes out or that he can understand why Nik is so infatuated with her.

Caroline isn't the sentimental type, not anymore, and Kol's never been. But somehow, they make it work. Caroline smiles and Kol turns up his charms and the tip jar fills up fast and they laugh about it without even having to say anything.

.

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 _Rewind eleven months…_

When Caroline decides to leave Mystic Falls, she doesn't just pack a bag and get inside her car. She puts a for sale sign in front of her house, her mother's house – her childhood house and sends half of her belongings to good will because she decides small towns aren't for her anymore.

She wants to blend in, maybe even disappear. She wants to let go of the past and try to move forward and leaving Mystic Falls behind seems like the only way. She leaves a note for Bonnie, who is slumming it in Europe with Damon and Ric, tells Stefan that he should get out too if he has the chance and visits Elena one last time before packing up her car.

She starts breathing when she sees the 'Now leaving Mystic Falls' sign, but it's only when she's thirty-nine hours into her trip and she's checking out apartments in a dinner in California that she allows herself to relax.

Everything somehow falls into place when she pulls up in San Francisco. She bought new sunglasses which were too expensive and too big, but she loves them. She's got short shorts on and a white tank top and with her blonde hair and eternal youth she just seems to fit amongst the crowd.

Three days in, she stumbles across a rundown building and she compels the first person she sees to tell her what it used to be. Turned out it was an ice cream parlour, but the owners packed up and left because of old age. The same day, she leaves with the deed to the two story building and she's unpacking upstairs because it seems logical to live on top of what is going to be her future ice cream empire.

She's Caroline Forbes and she thinks, in a way, her mother would be proud to know her daughter is moving on. And that idea is the one that drives her, the one that makes her get up in the morning.

And it's enough for now.

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 _Rewind three months…_

When Kol is back from the dead, the first thing that he does is yawn, stretch and say to no one in particular that he is hungry. Trust him to make coming back to life something so mundane.

He goes on a rampage, kills at least ten people that night before quenching the rest of his thirst in a dive bar he finds in an obscure back alley. He keeps up the pattern for a whole week, until he decides he should probably find whoever brought him back to life and maybe thank them – or kill them, he hasn't worked out the last part just yet.

Two weeks in and that person clearly doesn't want to be found. He kind of gives up, thinks he probably should make a house call to his family in New Orleans, drink the city dry with Nik, get a good scolding from Elijah and ruffle Bekah yet again. And then the most curious thing happens.

He remembers her from those days in Mystic Falls, the ones that ultimately lead to his death. She's the blonde perky thing that Nik is so infatuated with he threatens to pull out his liver. She walks past him with her hands full of shopping bags, another beautiful face in a sea of humans. He almost misses her. On his quest to find his supposed savior, he travels almost everywhere, trust him to come across the baby vampire.

He forgets all about New Orleans and instead spends three days just following her around. She makes trying to be human so easy and maybe it really is for her. He follows her as she runs errands, stalks her as she works in her ice cream parlour, always with a pretty smile on her face and glow about her that almost makes him forget he is tailing a vampire.

He decides she can help him; he just doesn't know with what yet. And this is exactly why he breaks into her store when he's sure there is no customers left, compels her to sit still because she keeps throwing ice cream spoons at his head and, when she agrees to his request, he doesn't kill her.

Now, if he can just make her forget her tried to kill her friends a few times, they might actually get along.

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 _Fast-forward five months…_

Niklaus keeps tab on Caroline, partly out of habit, he likes to know where she is and what she is doing and who she is doing it with – call him possessive or maybe even crazy – another part is because he cares. He doesn't lie when he tells her she is beautiful, strong and full of light. Someone like her should've never become a vampire.

His latest minion returns from his trip with pictures and Klaus dismisses him quickly, compels him to forget about it and turns to the envelop with an eagerness he hasn't known for a while.

He sends his desk flying across the room and by the time Rebekah and Elijah have made their way inside his den to see what the commotion is about; their brother is already on the phone obviously booking three tickets to San Francisco. Rebekah bends down to grasp at the pictures and lets out a yep before handing over a single picture to Elijah. The eldest of the three almost rips the picture about.

Caroline Forbes has always been rather photogenic and she looks happy on the picture, carrying a bag and laughing at nothing in particular. But what stops Elijah, what makes Rebekah yelp and what causes the sudden agitation of Niklaus isn't the pretty blonde smiling in the picture. No, it's the one next to her. He looks exactly as they remember him, not having aged a day, hair still black as night and the signature smirk on his pouty lips.

Kol Mikaleson, very much alive and laughing along Caroline Forbes. If a picture was ever worth a thousand dollars, it's exactly that one. And guessing by Klaus screaming on the phone, they'll be reunited with their brother very soon.

* * *

 **a/n : why? because i think even the characters from vampire diaries need a humour-ish break now and then. everything kind of stopped making sense even if a part of me is quite glad Elena is gone. let me know what you thought, this is a rather short story to take away from the seriousness. please drop a review if you liked it or even if you didn't. hope you enjoyed the read.**


	2. Chapter 2

**summary: that time Caroline and Kol get along so well.**

 **la dolce vita**

| but your secret's safe with garden gnome |

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.

 _Fast-forward a week..._

Kol finds Caroline infuriating.

She's the kind of pretty thing that he likes to play with. It's easy to get under her skin – it's also easy to get stabbed by her (she drops the knife 'by accident' on his foot. It leaves a dent in his shoes and she bats her pretty blonde eyelashes at him like it somehow makes everything better).

In all, he is amused by her. She somehow crawls inside his mind even when she's not there, her snarky and bubbly attitude lingering with him even when the shop is long closed and she disappears upstairs into her apartment.

It's one of those days. It's been particularly busy, the heat of San Francisco making people aching for something cool. He makes more iced coffees with ice cream than he can count and Caroline twirls in her apron all day smiling at customers. The tip jar has to be emptied at least twenty-five times – doe eyed girls ready to impress and older men who are blinded by blonde hair and forest green eyes.

He's passing the mop, erasing shoes stains and ice cream spills while she wipes counters and tables with those blue rags she buys from the shop at the end of the street. It's unnerving how easily he settles into a routine with her – even his family had never managed this sense of normalcy.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to." She says that a lot – she continues to wipe the counter. "But where have you been living?" The original shrugs his shoulders just because he knows how much she hates his dark, uncaring behaviour. She cares just so much.

"Mostly? I just compel pretty girls to take me in for the night." He doesn't have to compel them that much, just make them forget that he uses them as supper in the midst of carnal activities. In the morning, he shrugs them off and doesn't bother hiding the fact that he won't contact them ever again.

"Oh." But then the subject is dropped – she doesn't tell him how wrong it is, how disgusted with him she is. So he wonders what exactly is going on in her pretty little head. He's come to know her as someone who always has an opinion on everything.

It's only when she's closing the door behind them and the humidity of the night air assaults them, a change from the constant air-conditioning that she turns to him and sigh.

"Just so you know…" Her voice is soft; no one is ever soft with him. "I have a spare bedroom upstairs. If you ever get tired of those pretty girls." And then she rolls her eyes, mostly at herself.

Kol pauses, for once not having a sarcastic answer. Her offer hovers over both of their heads, his surprised blue eyes staring back into her kind green ones. She's offering him a place to stay, him who's made her friends suffer more times than he can count, him who just imposed on her life – he's flabbergasted.

"I'll think about it." And then she's saying 'see you Tuesday' and he stares after her a minute too long, still unbelieving that someone can be so kind and forgiving. Maybe that's what Nik saw, what drew him in. He shoves his hand inside his pocket and kills the first person that crosses his path, just to remind himself that he's the bad kind of people and that he doesn't feel.

The next day, Monday, Caroline's only day off, he knocks on her door at an ungodly hour. She's awake of course, still in her pyjamas that are flannel shorts and a loose t-shirt and she doesn't say a word, merely moves to the side so he can come in with his only bag.

She mentions coffee, he nods his head. And when she smiles at him, he finds himself smiling back.

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 _Fast-forward a month and a half..._

Stefan calls that morning – she doesn't pick up. Bonnie's voicemails still play in repeat in her head. Even Damon bothers, which is saying something. Caroline made a choice and for the first time in her life, she sticks to it. She'll call Bonnie eventually, but right now she just can't be bothered with anything concerning Mystic Falls.

Kol is his usual playful and snarky self, but that day is does nothing to calm her nerves. When the first customers start pouring in, she's too eager to throw herself in her work and distract herself. Kol keeps sending glances her way, she just bats her eyelashes and paints her smile in place so it won't falter.

She goes through the motions that day, doesn't even take a break to sip on a blood bag – her favourite. She can be stubborn and if Caroline knows how to do one thing, it's pretend all is well in the world when she's falling apart. The tip jar is too full at least fourteen times, but even that doesn't make her feel better.

That night, when they close she puts the radio on so neither of them feel tempted to talk. It's the top forty, loud music invading her senses while she wipes those stainless steel counters and he passes the mop. He doesn't try to make conversation like they usually do and she's glad in a way because her mind keeps wandering.

When she's done counting the cash and makes two neat piles with the split tip, he stands close to her but the doesn't reach for the money. She turns to him, eyes absent and notices his outstretched hand. Her eyebrows raise, but she takes his hand anyways and lets out as a giggle as he tries to make her twirl.

Sia's voice carries through the shop, something about cheap thrills and Friday nights and while Kol keeps his eyes fixated on her, she can't help the bubble of laughter that makes her whole body shake. He has his hand around her waist and his hand grips hers so that they sway to the catchy beat and it's been so long since anyone bothered to dance with her just for carefree reasons that it's easy to forget what is going on.

She doesn't say thank you and he doesn't say that he cares, neither of them say much that night to be honest. She doesn't know how long they dance, her body swaying dangerously close to his and he doesn't let go. That night, something shifts. She doesn't feel so alone anymore.

.

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 _Fast forward three weeks..._

"You left the toilet seat up again." Kol rolls his eyes.

"Good morning to you too, sweets." And then she's the one who rolls her eyes.

"Pet names won't save you this time, sweetheart." He pours her coffee in her favourite mug.

"It's an honest mistake. I'm not used to living with such a control freak." She snatches the cup away from his hands and he thinks that if it wasn't her favourite, she'd throw it at his head.

"This is not me being a control freak." He rolls his eyes, again. "This is me being a kind person inviting a poor homeless original vampire into her house and telling him that if he doesn't start pulling the seat down, his laptop will go missing." His yes narrow, his lips forming a straight line.

"Who are you calling homeless?" She bats her eyelashes. "And are you threatening me, sweets? Because I swear that cardigan you love so much can disappear too." Oh, he's hit a nerve. She has a hand on her hip and is giving him the eye of death.

"You wouldn't dare. You're so infuriating." He pours his own coffee.

"And you're neurotic." She smiles.

"I've been called worst." He nods.

"So have I." And then, forgetting their banter, they toast with their coffee and she says that she's been thinking of repainting because she's getting sick of the lilac walls and Kol couldn't agree more. Then she says yellow and he makes such a disgusted face that she has to laugh.

And the next day is just the same thing.

.

.

 _Fast-forward five months and a day..._

"I can't believe he didn't call." You'd think that after all this time, Rebekah would be used to it. Her brothers are all on a different place, no one in her family operates the same way. Elijah and Klaus are the ones that stick together, but then even a pretty brunette can split them apart.

Kol's the one who understood her, who always made sure she was okay. His death had left a gaping hole in her, but to have him be alive for months and not having him call makes the wound bleed all over again.

"I'm sure Kol had a good reason, Rebekah." But even Elijah isn't so sure about that one. He wonders too, why Kol hasn't bothered contacting any of them.

"Yeah, not wanting to be stabbed back into a box." And the comment is directed towards Klaus, who has a hand gripped on his magazine. He's been calm, too calm if you ask his other two siblings. "Or maybe he's just finally realized that this family isn't much of a family." Rebekah should know better than to get under Klaus' skin.

She does know better – she just doesn't care much anymore. Elijah is tensed, although she isn't sure if it's from his new suit or the general atmosphere in the plane. She's been to San Francisco plenty of times and it's the first time she's nervous about going there or anywhere for that matter.

If Kol hadn't contacted any of them, not even telling them that he was back from the dead, then he probably won't be glad to see them. In those pictures he looks happy and carefree, almost normal. And she knows that their family is anything but normal.

She wants to know and is desperate to see him, but if that means crashing his life she's not sure it's worth it. He's kept to himself, has built a life that doesn't include them – and the worst?

Rebekah doesn't even feel mad about it. Hurt, sure – but there's envy also.

.

.

 _Fast forward four months..._

He spends all of his time Caroline. He lives with her, he works with her and he also hangs out with her. They watch movies he's missed while he was stuffed in a coffin. She makes him listen to music that make him wish he could tear his ears off 'what's a Nicki Minaj' and she just laughs while assaulting each of his sense with that painful music.

She buys him clothes for no reason, always black because that's the only colour he wears (although once she buys him a deep blue shirt and he doesn't say he likes it, but he wears it all the time) and he cooks for her because they only thing she doesn't burn are pancakes.

The point is, he spends all his time with Caroline so he believes he knows her pretty damn well. She cares too much and she spends way too much time on cleaning for his taste and sometimes when they go out she matches his outfit to his, which is just too creepy for words and he thinks she only does it because she knows it makes him want to gag, so it's a wonder that her house is so bare of anything reminding her of Mystic Falls.

He doesn't ask – why he can't find any pictures of Elena or Bonnie, why there's only a picture of her mother in her room in her nightstand that he finds once when he's sneaking around just to pester her, he doesn't ask but she deletes every voicemail Stefan leaves and always rolls her eyes when she reads her e-mails. Her walls are bare, not frames immortalizing moments with her friends – he doesn't ask because he doesn't care, he doesn't do caring (but then again, he cares, he just won't show it).

And she doesn't ask anything either, about his family, about how he came back from the dead because all she can remember before is a pile of ash. He thinks she will and then she talks about colour coordination and really, only her would care about that stuff.

"I bought wine." It's sort of their routine, too much every week. She doesn't buy a bottle – she buys seven. Kol is no fool, he knows she's getting trashed to avoid whatever is going on her pretty mind.

"I made supper." He's being a smart ass, the penne with pesto and potatoes creating a soft delicious smell that spreads inside their apartment. She smiles and disappears inside her room, her jeans traded for those yoga pants and a tank top. She's pulling her hair backwards and lingering close to him as she eyes the food.

There's something about a man cooking food for her in her kitchen that makes her forget who exactly is cooking said meal in her kitchen.

They get absolutely wasted that night. She makes him binge watch America's Next Top Model and he pulls at his hair because he just can't understand how people can enjoy that show. She just laughs and sips more wine and by the fifth bottle Kol kind of gets the show.

Caroline's cuddle next to him, saying things that don't really make sense and there's a pleasant buzz running through his body that's enough to make him forget why he's watching that show in the first place.

"Bonnie and me used to watch this show all the time." She's mumbling, her eyes fixated on the screen. "And Elena would say she hated it, but she'd always watch it with us." She hiccups as she tries to laugh. "And my mom would tell me how badly it affects women and how I shouldn't be watching such degrading shows." She's not laughing anymore. He keeps quiet, his eyes lingering on her face.

"But I don't miss it you know? I don't miss Mystic Falls. I don't want to go back there because bad things happen there and everyone I know dies. I like it here. Does that make me a bad person?"

"I don't think so." Her eyes sparkle with unshed tears. She finally faces him and he looks away because he's not good at comforting and feelings this. "I get it. It doesn't make you a bad person." She cuddles closer to him and he clears his throat and just like that another girl is thrown off the show and Caroline's breathing slows and he's so tired that he forgets he's on the couch and just falls asleep right there and then.

She doesn't talk about it the next day, so he doesn't mention it. It's the first time they fall asleep together on the couch – it isn't the last.

* * *

 **a/n: this chapter is very depressing, I know. But Caroline and Kol's relationship needs a bit of explaining before the big blow up with the family. A lot of you have left very nice reviews and I love to hear your opinions, from who should end up with Caroline to what you think about the story. Don't worry, this story will have an ending - it's not a super long story by any means, just something that popped. Anyways, hope you enjoyed this chapter, drop a review and thank you for reading.**


	3. Chapter 3

**summary: when originals come knocking at your door, please bring a baseball bat.**

 **la dolce vita**

| bring a marching band for the masquerade |

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.

 _Fast-forward four months, three weeks..._

Caroline is quite beautiful, even if Kol pesters her about her appearance every single day that passes. Kol is no fool and, unlike what his siblings might think, he's observant. The blonde might not be as sultry and delicate as Elena or tough and independent as Bonnie, but of course she is beautiful – and she knows it.

Which is why it baffles Kol to no end that she's been standing in front of the haircare section for more than fifteen minutes, debating whether volume or shine or both would enhance her already supernatural curls.

"Caroline, I swear…" He mumbles under his breath, but she hears him. Being the mature woman he's come to know her as – she pulls her tongue at him. He doesn't tell her that he's about to rip it off, she isn't scared by his threats.

"We can't all be blessed with perfect shiny hair like yours." He rolls his eyes, but still – the compliment hits home and he sends a boyish, cocky smile her way.

"Yours comes close second. Come on!" With that he grabs the two bottle of shampoos she's currently holding and throws them in their cart. Mondays are shopping days. The drugstore and then the grocery store, Caroline shops and Kol mainly tags along to make sure she buys everything on the list (and to carry the bags, Caroline dumps them on him whenever she catches sight of something shiny).

She huffs and pouts and whines until she finally replaces one of the bottles on a completely different shelf. It's as bad as you'll get with her – but he's proud of his influence anyways.

It's odd really – their little routine. They bicker the whole time, don't get him wrong. She huffs and shoves him and he grabs her wrist so hard that if she were human he might break it and pulls her away from All Bran and shoves Froot Loops in her hands. But he wouldn't trade it for anything else in the world.

It's almost like he never knew he craved normalcy until it hit him painfully in the face. Sure, he wouldn't trade his supernatural abilities with anything else. And Kol would wager money that Caroline wouldn't either. He can see the way she stares in the mirror, her pretty doll like face always perfect, void of wrinkles and any sign of age, eternal youth.

But to have this – maybe not the job, maybe not even the shopping – someone, anyone by his side, someone who will not leave (he doesn't have to hear her say it to know she won't. Caroline is loyal, painfully so) … Somehow, she's crawled under his skin, so deep that even if he wanted to, he couldn't erase her.

.

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 _Fast-forward four months, three weeks, five days..._

Caroline doesn't think she's running away and that's exactly what she answers back to Bonnie in her latest e-mail. The witch is the only one she keeps contact with (she kind of feels bad for Stefan and then Kol throws something at her and it's completely forgotten in favour of screaming at him).

Her childhood friend keeps her updated on Elena, on her life, even Damon worms their way into their conversation which is odd, but Caroline never mentions it (she, too, is living with a mass murderer who's tortured her friends more time then she can count - Caroline just can't feel bad about that, not when Damon hurt her so much).

But Bonnie's latest e-mail let's her know that she should come visit – at least for the holidays. And the fact that Caroline simply doesn't want to leaves her feeling cold inside. Sure, she misses Bonnie, maybe Stefan a little and Matt had grown cold over the years but she still loved him very much, almost like a big brother. But she'd rather miss them dearly then set foot in Mystic Falls again.

And that's promptly at that moment that Kol throws an apple at her head. She bolts upwards, e-mail forgotten and sends him a glare that would kill him if he wasn't already dead.

"You can't just throw apples at people!" He has the audacity to laugh at her. She's fuming.

"You were making that serious face again, sweets. I don't like that." She pauses for a moment, thrown off guard by his comment. To anyone else, he would've sounded like a spoilt child who wasn't given enough attention, but to someone who knows Kol, it's much more than that. She knows what face she was making, the one she has on whenever Mystic Falls is mentioned, when she sinks deep inside her demons and her happiness is sucked dry.

He doesn't like it when she's unhappy – so he distracts her. He dances with her in the shop when customers are long gone, he makes her twirl and waltz. He listens to her music and watches her TV shows even if he hates it. He bickers with her to make her forget the home she's left behind.

She forgets why she was mad at him for a second and smiles at him, softly. It makes him uncomfortable, she can tell by the way he adverts his eyes away from hers.

And then she hurls her chair in his face and laughs while he chases her around their apartment with a knife.

.

.

 _Fast-forward five months, one day..._

Kol really wonders what's keeping him from jumping over the counter and snapping that child's neck. It'd be so easy – stealing candy from a baby (pretentious little child whose neck would be so fragile under his hands).

Caroline clears her throat besides him and sends him a very warning stare as she smiles at the mother of the child and elbows him.

"I'll take over. Why don't you take another customer?" She knows exactly what he's thinking and he winks at her before moving on to the next person in line. He wouldn't have minded wiping up blood off the floor.

It's one of those days. The humidex reads over 80 percent and people are just lining up. He's too grateful when Caroline turns over the open sign and they finish cleaning up to head over their apartment. She fumbles with the bourbon (his addition to the household, there's so much wine he can take before he throws the bottle in the garbage and heads out to by real alcohol) while he plops down on the couch.

Something mindless is playing on the television. Caroline's changed her attire to some loose fitted shorts and an oversized t-shirt. She bought him a set of pyjamas – they're comfy and soft although he'd rather die than admit that he wears them. He's a tall, dark and handsome vampire. Kol doesn't do flannel.

"We're we expecting someone?" Caroline's head is cocked to the side, peeking only slightly from the kitchen. She knows better than to ask that. It's not like they have any friends here. Whoever is knocking on the door like a madman is clearly not welcomed here.

"Stay here." Something like dread pools inside his stomach. He thinks the last few months have been too quiet, that whoever brought him back couldn't have just vanished that easily – they have to come back sometime. He doesn't mind killing a few people, but he won't involve Caroline.

He moves carefully, almost wishes he'd stopped by his room for his trustworthy baseball bat (Caroline calls her Berta – which says a lot of things about the man carrying the baseball bat, but also about the blonde who laughs and calls it Berta).

He's annoyed and ready to tell whoever is on the other side of the door to cool it with the banging (it's past midnight and it's been a long day so shove it! He has a sharp tongue and a bad attitude) – the wind gets knocked out of him. He flies straight into the wall, head almost leaving a dent (Caroline would huff in exasperation).

"Is that how you greet your family, little brother?" Sweets is by his side a second later, face hardened a teeth sharpened to come out and play. No one tortures Kol but her, didn't you know? He seldom sees her looking so dangerous and exquisite, sometimes he even forgets she's a vampire.

It's doubtful that Caroline could so much against three original vampires and she knows it. Her face becomes hers again, teeth retracted and skin clear and pale.

"Of course." Her tone is sarcastic. She sends Kol a look, doesn't even bother with hellos and sighs. "I'll go make tea." And with that she disappears in the kitchen. Elijah clears his throat, Rebekah is stunned at the whole display and Klaus stands there, fists by his side. Kol just rolls his eyes.

"Come in." He doesn't want to, he really doesn't want to let them in (but Caroline chooses him at that moment, baring the face of her demons just for him and that has to mean something right?).

.

.

 _Fast-forward five months, one day, twenty hours..._

"Do you have to be here?" The almost look civilized – almost. Kol and Caroline sit on one end of the couch, Rebekah close by. Klaus is in the armchair, for once lost for words. Elijah decides to stand so it won't wrinkle his suit. Caroline huffs at Rebekah and rolls her eyes.

"You're welcome to go somewhere else – it is my apartment after all." And Kol's, but she doesn't say that. She walks on eggshells. She doesn't want to be here, don't get her wrong. But it is her apartment and she doesn't trust Klaus with his pretty white daggers that tend to end up in his siblings.

Caroline crosses one leg over the other, grabs one of the cups of teas which are still untouched and decides to just become a wallflower. It's better that way, especially when Rebekah narrows her eyes at her.

"Let's not pretend Miss Forbes is to blame here." Elijah, always the practical one of their little family. "Kol is perfectly able to pick up a phone or buy a plane ticket." The youngest of the original family feels like a child. He stays surprisingly silent, arms crossed over his torso. "After everything we've been through, thinking you were dead -."

"Please. I never saw you caring when I was put to sleep in a box, Lijah." It's a jab and that is the first words he's uttered since they've come in. Caroline sends him a pointed look which deflates him – she clearly doesn't want to replace any furniture if a fight breaks out. The little display isn't missed by the other three in the room. It makes Klaus seethe.

He really should know better. If Caroline Forbes managed to weasel her way into his cold, undead heart – she would do it easily with his youngest brother.

"Why are you here anyways? To make my life a living hell? Old habits die hard." Even Caroline wonders. Sure, she knows they have a tendency to just pack up and go wherever they want to create chaos next, but if they are here to retrieve Kol and take him with them – she won't let that happen.

"We wanted to see you – I thought you were dead!" Everyone can see Rebekah is hurt – hurt that her brother couldn't even pick up a phone to let them know he was back from the dead, hurt that he chooses so easily a stranger instead of her.

"How did you come back exactly?" Kol doesn't know much.

"One day, I was stuck in limbo and the next I was back. That's all I know." And no one had manifested itself to claim they had saved him, after a while he forgot his questions. If someone was stupid enough to bring back an original vampire when it was so difficult to kill one, he wasn't about to do anything about it.

"You're not foolish enough to think someone did this out of the kindness of their heart." There's the Klaus they know, untrusting with his unsolicited opinions. "Obviously there's an ulterior motive and you're putting Caroline in danger by remaining here with her!"

"I can take care of myself, you know?" Of course, he has to implicate her in this.

"I know, love." Again, with the pet names. She doesn't know if it's an original thing. "Kol has just been thoughtless, again – …" Kol glares, but Caroline cuts him off. Rebekah and Elijah exchanged a look.

"He's not thoughtless and he's been nothing but reliant these last few months. Maybe you should try to know him instead of constantly putting him down!" The silence that follows is heavy. Elijah is tensed, Rebekah still cannot grasp that someone would talk to Klaus that way, the lather has stilled in his chair. Caroline looks ready to zoom out of the room in anger and Kol –

Kol stares at Caroline. No one has ever called him reliant. No one ever said a good thing about him. He's a crazy vampire who's killed more than his fair share of people. And then a baby vampire, with blonde hair and more control than he's ever come across, goes and shatters everything he knows.

It's an odd sight and she never looked more beautiful to him then at that exact moment – he can only stare in wonder, almost like a child gazing upon a god.

"I'm going to make more tea." The silence shatters and she disappears in a flash in the kitchen. Kol and can Klaus wants to go after her – but he knows better by now.

"You're not coming back with us, right?" Kol feels bad for Rebekah in a way, he really does. His little and him had understood each other, once. But Kol had relied on himself for so long that he'd come to accept it. Rebekah still hadn't, still depended on her big brothers too much.

"No." Klaus is about to say that he doesn't have a choice, but Elijah steps in and moves forward.

"Then I'm sure you won't mind if we stay for a while." Kol minds very much, but Elijah didn't ask a question. "It will give us time to sort a few things out, like finding whoever brought back and for what reason." Kol sighs and uncrosses his arms, pinching the bridge of his nose. If he were human, he'd have a migraine.

"Whatever you say, Lijah." He finally stands up, looks at what remains of his family. Of his old family – oddly enough, his new one is busying herself with moving around the kitchen. He can hear her. "I have a shop to open tomorrow." He has to get them away.

"Of course. We'll see you then." Kol looks at Elijah, wants to say anything that will get him to go away faster. But his big brother makes it impossible to say anything with his cool stare. Rebekah follows him towards the door reluctantly. Klaus looks like he wants to stay, not for him, even if his death affected him the most.

But he'll have plenty of other time for that. So he does the one thing that throws Kol off the most and hugs him. Even Rebekah and Elijah still.

"It's good to have you back, brother." And with that he's gone, the door opened too quickly and closed too fast to even see him. Of course, displays of emotions are so rare for Klaus he has to run away after. The others follow after him, promises to be back and for a moment Kol stands very still.

"That was something." He can feel Caroline's hand on his shoulder, the soft touch that lingers. He turns towards her, her blonde curls framing her pretty face and her lips turned into what he assumes is a comforting smile. "Just so you know, I won't let them take you away." From me, she wants to add. But that would imply things that they are both not ready to face.

"How about a late night snack, sweets?" He wants to kill a few things. She rolls her eyes and when he smiles his usual mischievous smile, she actually has to laugh.

* * *

 **a/n : Two chapters in one month? I felt like I couldn't really leave you hanging. This is what happens when originals knock on your door really, besides bloodshed. I want to take a moment to thank you for all your kind reviews, you really are the best readers ever. I take your ideas into consideration, so if you want to drop a note and tell me what you think should happen you are welcomed to do it. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and Kol and Caroline madness. Please drop a review, thank you for reading and I'll see you next time!**


	4. Chapter 4

**summary: Kol and Caroline against the world.**

 **la dolce vita**

| remember what you're good for |

.

.

 _Fast-forward five months, a week..._

"I know you don't want to talk about it." It's an understatement. His teeth sink into soft flesh, his monster's face taking over as he gulps large mouthfuls, not even enjoying the taste. He isn't even hungry – he just needs chaos and people screaming in fear! "But is that really…"

"Sweets." His voice is full of rage and yet the nickname still sounds endearing. Of course she would follow him, really, what did he expect? This is Caroline for Christ's sake, her best friend had been Stefan Salvatore – surely a few bloody corpses wouldn't scare her. "I know you mean well, but this is not the time." He snarls at her and she doesn't even flinch. He hates her for it just as much as he admires her.

"Kol, just listen to me!" Her high heeled boots make noise as she strolls after him into the back alleys of San Francisco. "I understand you're mad..." He growls, actually growls at her. She stops in her tracks, raises an eyebrow and crosses her arms over her chest. "Don't you growl at me, mister!" It really shouldn't affect him, but the way she looks make his shoulders slack off.

"Caroline, just leave me alone." He really means it this time – he never uses her name. It sounds foreign in his mouth, leaves a bitter aftertaste when he's said it.

He thinks he's done it – that she'll walk away defeated until he crawls back home later tonight. Instead, she moves fast, throws her arms around him like he's the only thing she can hold onto for safety and presses him so close he can feel every curve of her body.

He stiffens at first, because that's how his family reacts to affection. He's touched Caroline plenty of times – he's grabbed her, shoved her, pushed her and even pulled her along. He's even woken up with her head on his shoulder from their passing out on their couch. But they'd never hugged.

The blood of his shirt seeps onto her, her breathing is slow, her face pressed into his shirt and sudden realisation hits so painful hard that he feels his knees buckle underneath him. He holds on tight to her, feels that his grip isn't strong enough and yet he's almost tearing at her clothes.

Kol always dealt with everything by bringing mayhem and carnage wherever he went. He didn't need an intervention or a special episode on Dr. Phil, it was just the way it was. He could do it and he did it and it's not like his family had ever batted an eyelash at his tantrums, except for Klaus who'd stabbed him in a box when he was so out of control he threatened his peace of mind.

And Caroline is unlike everything he's ever known before; warm and loyal to the point where she'd put herself in harm's way before anything could even reach a hair on his pretty little head. He holds on to her because that's the only thing she can offer him in that moment, she gives herself because that's the only thing she knows how to do.

He promises to himself that this is the first and only times he shows his weakness so easily, but even to him the promise sounds hollow.

.

.

 _Fast-forward five months, two days..._

"That's, um, a very nice apron you are wearing." Kol seethes in silence. He imagines plastering the walls with Elijah's blood, the thick red substance coating every last bit of surface. If he were to smile, it'd be a demented one.

"Can I get sprinkles on mine?" Caroline's hand shots up to firmly hold him in place – he's about to throw the bowl of Caramel Delight in his sister's face.

"Sure, but it's extra." She smiles her saccharine smile, the one she always uses on her customers. "And don't be cheap with the tip." Rebekah's glare soothes his soul and Caroline sends another smile towards his sister. She turns her head and greets another customer, like nothing ever happened.

He's never seen anyone so cocky with his siblings who's lived to tell the tale. The only thing that makes it all better is that Klaus didn't show up with the other two to make fun of him.

He likes his job. He likes the normalcy of it all. It's not like it's a difficult job and he certainly doesn't need the money, but the shop had sort of become a safe haven and the fact that his siblings could just walk in here and disgrace it made him think of all the things he could do if there wasn't an audience present.

It's a mildly busy day. People come and go in waves, but it's not one of those days where the lineup never seems to end and he has dabs of ice cream covering his shirt. He usually loves those days, but right now he wishes customers would pile in to distract him. Caroline wipes the counters and doesn't pay attention to the two originals seated at the same table for hours.

"Doesn't it bother you?" Caroline twists the rag, the water spluttering into the sink with large bubbles of soap. Her eyes dart to him and then to his siblings. She shakes her head.

"Could be worse. I mean, no one tried to eat the customers yet, so it's already better than I was expecting." She places the rag neatly so it will dry. "But you can always ask them to leave, you know?" Kol cracks his knuckles and sends a smirk towards her – like it was the only thing he was waiting for.

Caroline pretends not to hear anything when Rebekah throws a tantrum and Elijah speaks in a hush tone. She rolls her eyes – family drama.

.

.

 _Fast-forward five months, three days..._

"Come on love, surely you can grace me with your presence for a couple of hours." Seeing Klaus again isn't nearly as awkward as she expected. She rolls her eyes and continues to wipe the counters. "Kol, reason with her." Kol rolls his eyes, but Caroline can see the smile that's beginning to show.

Klaus isn't as bad as Rebekah and Elijah – he actually seems pleased to see his brother. She remembers when he bit her in grief, trapped into Elena's living room. He's the one who saw Kol die, who'd felt the guilt of not listening to him about Silas. Caroline can only imagine what she'd do if she got a second chance with her mother.

"You do realise that he won't leave until you say yes." Kol says like he's stating a fact, which he is in a way. Klaus will follow her until she agrees to go out with him. He's done it before and he'll do it again.

"Fine." She says it with a sort of finality as she unties her apron. "Just wait here while I go change." She sends a look towards Kol. He nods his head.

"I won't burn the place down, sweets." She raises an eyebrow, stares at him for a second and then nods her head and disappears upstairs. If he listens close enough, he can hear the front door of their apartment open.

"I never thought I'd see the day my little brother would have such an idle job." Kol doesn't bother with an answer and instead replaces the scooping spoons where they belong. "You look happy." Kol stops moving, thinks for a second.

At first, it was more about finding something to occupy his mind. Years stuck in limbo, something as simple as being able to be part of the world sounded too good to be true. Finding Caroline in the midst of everything hadn't been part of the plan and then eventually, her gentleness and warmth had grown on him.

"I am." He thinks having this kind of conversation with Klaus is odd and uncomfortable. They aren't the most loving and share your feelings type of family. But then, there's always a first for everything. When he turns his eyes back to his brother, Klaus has that look on his face, the stern one he always wears with his siblings.

He's about to open his mouth, but the door of the shop opens and Caroline takes in the scene. She didn't bother to doll herself up, she barely does it anymore. Her stained shirt is changed for something clean and her hair isn't tied up in a bun anymore, loose curls falling past her shoulders. She hasn't bothered cutting it in years.

"Am I interrupting something?" There's the tension and it's thick around the place. That's how the originals deal with their family drama, stares with too much emotions behind them.

"Of course not, love. Let's be on our way." He grabs Caroline by the arm and she huffs, sends Kol one last warning look because that's just the kind of person she is that makes him rolls his eyes and pulls his tongue at her before her and Klaus disappear into the night.

.

.

 _Fast-forward five months, four days..._

"So, you and my brother?" Caroline comes back hours later, annoyance clear on her pretty face, but a smile tugging at her lips. Kol is still up, sitting on the couch in his usual spot. The only thing missing is her. She huffs and falls down next to him.

"Not in a million years." Every bit of annoyance leaves him – even if he wouldn't mind Caroline as a sister in law. "What are we watching?" The remote is in her hands before he can stop her and he doesn't even bother to wrestle in out of her hands when she changes the channel.

He's just glad she came home.

.

.

 _Fast-forward five months, a week..._

Caroline is a very patient person. The first couple of days go by without an itch, even if the originals seem to permeate every aspect of her life. Rebekah lounges in the shop, Elijah is on the phone half of the time and Klaus just seems content to be with his little brother (and her, an added bonus). Caroline doesn't say much and continues with her routine with a few adjustments, because that's the type of person she is.

And when shit hits the roof – she'd be a liar to say she wasn't expecting it. They're all piled up in her shop, that's the place they meet nowadays.

"You have to come home." Caroline's head snaps so quickly she might actually break her own neck. Everyone stands very still for a few seconds, shaken with Elijah's statement.

"No." Kol glares at his brother and Caroline agrees whole heartedly with his response. Having them here is one thing, getting Kol to leave with them – well, it's just not going to happen on her watch.

"Stop being a child." Caroline winces when Kol shots up from his seat next to her. She wants to reach out and pull him back, but he's moved too far from her. "We have no resources here. At least, in New Orleans, you would be safe and we could actually find answers. Miss Forbes is invited to come, of course." She doesn't know if that's supposed to make her feel better – but it doesn't.

"You've been planning this from the beginning!" Caroline hasn't seen Kol this angry since her days in Mystic Falls. His face twists in hate as he regards his siblings.

"Your place is with us." And there Rebekah goes. Caroline has a feeling they are just reacting a scene very familiar to all of them – she's even seen it a couple of times by now. Klaus is strangely silent, which doesn't comfort Caroline at all. "Don't tell me you'd rather stay here."

"Stay out of this Bekah." But she won't, because things are never that simple.

"What? Am I supposed to just watch while you throw your new life away?" Rebekah wants to reach out and touch Kol, but he moves away from her touch. It hurts her, Caroline can see that. "You belong with us, not with some stranger who hasn't lived through half of what we have."

Caroline feels insulted and the way Kol's murderous gaze falls on his sister, she isn't the only one.

"Rebekah's right. If you don't come willingly, I will personally make you." That's the wrong thing to say, because the second Caroline blinks, Kol's face has changed, showcasing every bit of the monster in his and Elijah's head hits the wall, his suit now wrinkled.

"Try me, brother." He spits out in rage and the next second, he's disappeared, the front door smacking the wall. Caroline's glad she's the owner, because she can't imagine explaining the dent in the wall or the broken front door to anyone. She sighs, gets up from her seat and crosses her arms over her chest.

"Get out." Rebekah's teeth flash, but before she can reach her, Klaus has positioned himself between the two blondes. Rebekah stills and Klaus raises an eyebrow, daring her to try anything.

"What is it with the men in this family and her?" Kicking Rebekah's ass sounds really good right now, but even she could, Caroline has more important things to do right now.

"I'm going to find him. Don't be here when I come back." Her tone is cold; she feels as if she's turned off her emotions again. She knows Klaus will make sure his siblings are gone by the time she comes back. She doesn't bother to warn them. If she wants to catch up with Kol, she has to go – now.

"That was the stupidest thing you've ever done, Lijah." It's the last thing she hears before she speeds out of her apartment.

.

.

 _Fast-forward five months, a week, few hours..._

Caroline wipes the blood away from his face with a dampened washcloth. They sit on the kitchen chairs, Caroline in front of him. He can merely stare at her. She tries to smile, but the whole evening has drained her energy – it comes out distorted.

At some point, he reaches to touch her face. She has blood stuck on her hair and on the left side of her face. Her shirt is ruined and yet she doesn't complain like she usually would. No one is here when they come back. Caroline manages to close the broken front door with a kick.

Neither of them say a word, his fingers trailing the side of her face. It's intimate, but they don't move. Caroline's just glad to have him back, she did go out alone to fetch him – even if in his previous state he could've murdered her with ease. Her hand covers his and she closes her eyes.

At that moment, everything is right. She has him back and they are both home.

* * *

 **a/n: Let me first tell you that I am sorry about the wait. This chapter took a little longer because I wasn't sure about what and what not to put in. Of course, the originals would stir up some trouble. I want to thank everyone who takes the time to review, your comments make my day. As per usual, thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed and please drop a review. Till next time!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Sum: knowing you're ignoring denial or, how Caroline and Kol handle things.**

 **la dolce vita**

| those marks on your neck never seem to fade |

.

.

 _Fast-foward six months..._

Things start to make sense a day or two after (Caroline's sort of lost track of time and Kol just follows after her because that's apparently what he does best). And sense, well maybe not quite – with these two, you never know, but whatever it is comes back easily.

After all, if someone is good at pushing things deep down and pretending they don't exist – it's Caroline. And if you need someone to go on a murderous rampage because expressing yourself like a normal being is just too painful, then you should probably find Kol. He's quite good at that.

"Can you hand me that?" Somehow, it's like nothing ever happened. Caroline doesn't talk about it, doesn't talk about the shirt she had to burn or the blood that can't quite come out of her hair. And Kol knows Caroline and his denial. He keeps himself busy by pestering her.

"Sure." He throws the metal spoon, hard and quick. He thinks it will hit her in the face, but she's expecting it and catches it with graceful ease, not even frazzled. She keeps smiling at the customer, cheeks stained pink in their usual fashion. Kol thinks that it was easier when she still had a twinge of fear in her. By now, they are so used to each other that his monster's face doesn't scare her.

He should feel bothered by that – but he doesn't. Caroline doesn't scare easily, not anymore. He hates her for it just as much as he admires her. Kol's talent has always been fear. People looked at him, the loose cannon of the family, and while Klaus has no mercy, Kol simply does not care. It makes him even more dangerous.

In a way, he muses while shoving a plastic spoon full of chocolate fudge in his mouth, it makes sense. That Caroline, the one who cares so much about everyone else but herself, would make him – Kol Mikaelson, villain extraordinaire and known mass murderer – care about someone else than himself.

She's saccharine sweet, just like the melted chocolate in his mouth, and consistent if you just dare to scratch the surface, to look beyond blonde curls and doe like eyes. In a way, she's even more broken than him. He's a killer, has been for an eternity and that kind of crazy should not be allowed to roam free in the streets. Which says plenty about him and his issues.

The chocolate swirls in his mouth, leaving a layer on his pristine white teeth. But he knows all of that, the madness that spreads in his head has been his only companion for centuries. Kol knows what he is and knows what he represents – and Caroline knows it too, knows it better than anyone else and has witnessed it with her own pretty blue eyes; the carnage and the destruction and death, so much death.

And yet at night, hidden away from the world, the delicate blonde angel manages to sneak into his bed, without waking him, crawls between the sheets and snuggles with the demon.

"Kol, you listening to me?" The spoon is thrown in the garbage and he turns around to give Caroline his usual playful smirk that confirm he wasn't listening to a word she just said.

"Of course, sweets." And she rolls her eyes, the faintest smile on her face even if she should be annoyed with him. Kol is all sorts of messed up and the fact that Caroline holds onto him so tight, he can't break free makes him think that she's even worse off than he is.

Not that he'd ever change that about her.

.

.

 _Fast-forward two months, two weeks..._

Bonnie calls that morning with bad news – which is not unusual. Caroline actually rolls her eyes and half listens to what her friend's telling her. Don't get her wrong, she loves talking to Bonnie. But at least twice a month, the dark-haired witch calls to tell her that it's the freaking end of the world and that someone else is trying to wipe Mystic Falls out of existence and Caroline's just had enough.

Seriously, she can't remember much about Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but she's slayed enough underworld creatures in her short amount of time on this earth that she's pretty sure the show is mocking her life (Kol actually makes her watch it that one time, old reruns of season one and of course, a Hell mouth under a high school, why does it sound so familiar?).

When she hangs up, telling Bonnie once again that she should move, not have Caroline come all the way there to help them solve their problems, Kol looks at her from the couch. She hurls herself next to him with a huff.

"It's the end of the world as know it." He rolls his eyes. Caroline doesn't know what he's watching, but the lead actor is quite charming and with a British accent – she doesn't bother changing the channel.

"Witchy really needs to change her tune." He has the same nickname for her as Damon, although she never tells him that. He's not fond of Damon and she likes it that way. Caroline silently agrees with him. She understands – understood a long time ago that Mystic Falls, for all its quaint exterior, will eat you alive, bones and marrow, until nothing of you remains in the way.

She'd been a victim, lured in a false sense of normalcy, while it played with her mind and defiled her body, made her wish she was dead until – until she really was. Until the sun became an enemy and food a caprice. Her heartbeat slowed, her blood drained and it had almost ended her. She'd managed to get out, but not with her life.

"Did you ever notice…" She starts out, her eyes trailing on the man on the screen. "How it's always Mystic Falls?" Kol raises an eyebrow. "I mean – it's like the town has an eleven feet tall banner that says 'open for the supernatural, please try to end the world', you know?" At first it's a snort that comes out of his mouth. "Or 'homicidal tendencies? Daddy issues? We want you.'" She points her fingers at the screen, looking so serious that Kol suddenly bursts out laughing.

It's a boyish laugh, genuine – and unlike anything that is Kol. His body shakes enough that Caroline thinks she's finally broken him, cracked a key piece and now everything else can't stop pouring out. And the sight is so normal, so innocent, that Caroline can't tear her eyes away. At first, she can only stare. His cheeks are tainted red and his arms circle his stomach and every time she thinks he'll finally stop, he looks at her and her dumbfounded face and starts all over again.

At a moment, she can't remember when exactly, she starts laughing – at him, because he is just the funniest person she's ever met and she forgets all about her melodramatic past life. They look at each other and burst out laughing, she giggles when a strand of hair falls in his eyes.

And if anyone, anyone at all, wonders when exactly Caroline, neurotic and insecure control freak, but ultimately good, she's just so good, becomes attached to Kol in a way that will be impossible to break – it's then. Her hand hangs mid-air, her fingers touching the hair and he jerks in surprise, hand reaching out to hold her wrist so hard it would leave a bruise if she were human.

.

.

 _Fast-forward three months, two weeks..._

Kol is not the romantic type. He leaves that to Finn or Elijah. He doesn't buy chocolates or anniversary gifts – actually, he never has a steady relationship. It saves the trouble. Rebekah's always in search of the one and Klaus doesn't particularly look for love, more like a family that won't betray him each time they feel like it.

He's not like his siblings. He doesn't look for hope or love or repentance or whatever flavor of the month Elijah likes to preach at him with. He simply doesn't care. Kol has himself and it's the best companion he can hope for. The few times he actually gets along with his siblings make him happy, but never last. He stops looking forward to them.

"Here, so you stop eating the shop's supply." Caroline throws something in his lap, a white bucket that she hasn't even bothered to wrap. Kol raises an eyebrow, holds the bucket up and sends a boyish grin at the blonde. It's that brand of fudge they use to make the sundaes – the one he's always digging spoons in and shoveling in his mouth.

"Awn, sweets – what's the occasion?" She shrugs her shoulders like she doesn't need an occasion to buy him a freaking bucket of chocolate fudge. But Kol knows her, he knows her better than he knows himself. If she won't tell him, then he'll just have to figure it out by himself.

The next day the shop is crowded. It's full and him and Caroline work extra-hard and the tip jar is about to burst. Kol can't quite put his finger on why today. Caroline is her usual chipper self and she serves customer with a happy grin, her expression soft.

And that's when Kol, mass murderer extraordinaire and occasional trapeze artist (don't ask) realizes that the only people in the shop are freaking couples. Happy couples, who all wear the dreaded color red. He's never paid much attention to dates, it's not like he needs to – but February fourteenth smacks him in the face, painfully.

He steals a look at Caroline who's adding heart shaped sprinkles on ice cream. It certainly explains her red sweater with the white hearts on them. And it clicks, you know – the chocolate and the red and all the happy couple everywhere that he just wishes would choke on the bloody ice cream.

By the time the day is over, Kol actually has a migraine – which is weird because he's dead.

"Where are you going?" Caroline jungles the keys in her hand, watching him head the other way.

"Just need to go check up on a delivery." She sends him a curious glance, but whatever her brain comes up with makes her snort and she tells him to not be home too late. Only Caroline would tell him that.

He feels like he owes her.

The next morning, their apartment is filled with sunflowers – which are a pain to get and he has to compel at least five florists because he wants to fill the whole apartment. Caroline wakes up with a start and looks around their living room which is barely visible under all the white flowers. He sits on his usual chair, coffee in hand, looking as inconspicuous as he can. He barely manages.

"You like them? I swear, if you don't I'll make you…" She squeals and throws her arms around him, her body pressed so tight he can feel every curve of her body. Before he has time to process, she's picking up flowers and smelling them.

That day, Caroline wears a sunflower in her hair. And then the day after. Actually, she does that four days in a row until he's had enough and he burns the freaking flowers. Can't she like roses like every other girl?

.

.

 _Fast-forward five months, two weeks..._

"Bon… remember that night you brought Jeremy back and you, well you know…" The other end of the line goes silent for a second and then two. But then Bonnie snorts into the receiver.

"Yeah, that time I was stupid and died yet again. Yes, Care. I remember." Caroline rolls her eyes at the wall in her bedroom. So many things have killed Bonnie and yet, here she is, years later, probably swatting away Damon's hand as she holds the phone close to her ear, like nothing ever happened before.

"Do you think it was the same? For Kol, I mean." Caroline isn't stupid. She knows that defying the laws of nature have a price, the kind you pay with blood. And whatever brought Kol back – well, perhaps the originals weren't completely full of shit and raised a couple of questions. But Caroline has something they don't. "That someone died to bring him back?"

She swears she can hear Damon yelling in the background about pancakes. Bonnie sighs and Caroline knows that she's rubbing her temples, like she always does when Damon is involved.

"Care, I already told you. Whatever brought Kol back from the dead had to pay a price. Maybe just not the one they were expecting. My guess is that someone thought it would be a good way to mess with Klaus and whatever backwater kingdom he stole. And in the process, they killed themselves. I would know – I tried it." Yes, Caroline's already aware of that. It's just nice to hear someone else say it.

"Okay." Caroline finally says, more to herself than anyone else. She can already imagine Bonnie's raised eyebrow, the same kind she always adorns when there's something she wants to know.

"How's Kol by the way? How are you? How are you guys as a whole?" It's Caroline's turn to roll her eyes. She does again when Damon let's out an exaggerated gasp.

"Blondie's shacking up with another original?" The vampire practically shouts and Caroline hears it loud and clear, almost as if he was standing right in front of her.

"Look who's talking, Mr. I had sex with the original bitch while in love with my brother's girlfriend." It's just like listening to an old married couple who bicker way too much. And no, just no – Caroline's brain refuses to picture Bonnie and Damon as anything other than friends.

"I will leave you guys to do – whatever it is you are doing…" Damon is yelling something missionary positions and Bonnie is screaming at him to shut up before she sets him on fire again.

"I love you, Care. Call me if you need anything, okay?" There's a crash, Caroline's pretty sure Bonnie is twitching right now, her left eyebrow bouncing, like it always did with Damon. 'Tell her to come back home – Stefan's mopping again.' Caroline chooses to ignore that, like most things that come from Damon.

"Love you too. Don't let Damon burn your kitchen." The last thing she hears before the line goes dead is Bonnie cursing under her breath, probably from Damon's music choice and how loud he puts the volume. She can't figure out what her friend sees in Damon, not really anyways. Sure, he's gorgeous and broken in that bad boy way – but there's plenty of that in Mystic Falls. It's not like Bonnie can't pick someone else.

Kol sends her a look as she plops on the couch next to him, the same as always. He's obviously heard whatever she said on the phone and it's not like she tries to hide it from him. They have no secrets and they have no reasons to have secrets. It's probably one of the healthiest relationships she's ever had – which is sad.

"So, want to bet?" She raises an eyebrow, wondering where his cheerful attitude is coming from. "I'm guessing witches that want to get revenge on Niklaus, you?" She really doesn't want to bet on their demise, because if Kol falls, then she falls too and its bad luck. But he grins, not at all bothered and she shrugs her shoulders.

"I'm guessing your mom or dad, somehow, found another way to not stay dead and – because it's always about Klaus, are trying to use you and your siblings against him." He thinks for a minute.

"That actually sounds plausible. It's like you're a part of the family!" It's sad that they can joke about this. Mostly, it's sad that this happened so many times before. But Kol doesn't look worried, so she holds up her cup of coffee and toasts with him.

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 _Fast-forward five months, a week, one day..._

When Caroline is done wiping the blood away from his face, she helps him to bed. There's a sort of numbness that's crept into him and he follows because Caroline seems to know what she's doing. It's easy with her, it's always easy with her. She takes off his shirt and he doesn't even make a snarky comment. Cuddles him just like a mother would and pushes the sheet up so they reach his chin.

He doesn't sleep after that. He listens to her walk in the kitchen – emptying the bowl that now contains red stained cold water. He hears the shower, imagines her peeling off her blood-stained shirt. Caroline's soft, tries not to make too much noise so she doesn't disturb him. Sleep just won't come.

He thinks he'll just lie here in wait, enough that the next day rolls in and he forgets everything that happened. If there's something Caroline teaches him is that cleaning and working can ease your mind.

He doesn't know how long he stares at the wall until the door of his bedroom cracks open, his eyes in the darkness still able to find strands of blonde hair. He can hear her footsteps and, without an invitation, she crawls into bed with him, not at all worried that merely a few hours ago, the blood from his kills stained her pretty shirt.

Her body shifts so she melts into him, her face so close to his he can see the blue of her eyes. She looks at him, not once asking for permission and he's glad – because he's in no state to give her one. Her nose touches his, almost tenderly and she just looks at him as if she can't believe he's really here.

She closes her eyes at some point. She's so tired and she moves, to find a more comfortable position. Kol's arm reaches for her, pulls her closer before she can be at arm's length. He pulls her until she's right back where she was.

He doesn't let go and she doesn't move away.

* * *

 **a/n : Let me start out by saying that I am in love with this chapter. It's a bit lighter than the previous one, which is why I wrote it in the first place. Caroline and Kol are definitely in denial in some way or another. I'm already thinking about the next chapter. I want to take a moment to thank everyone who takes the time to review and favorite and follow - can't tell you how awesome you are! And I just love reading your comments on Kol and Caroline. I'm glad I'm not the only one. I want to to wish you all happy holidays, since I probably won't update before then. Thank you for reading, drop a review and tell me what you think! I hope you enjoyed and till next time!**


	6. Chapter 6

_**Summary: the end is near, but not quite.**_

 **la dolce vita**

| it's another year due with the same mistakes |

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 _Fast-forward three years…_

This is Caroline and Kol and this is the end of the beginning; not the end, not the beginning, not even the few moments in between.

This is Caroline and Kol and the end of the beginning that starts with a phone call from Rebekah. And Caroline, Caroline knows – that even if Kol can pretend all he wants, he's still very attached to his family.

From the few bits of conversations she understands, it's about Klaus – of course it's about Klaus. If the world moves to the right, then he takes a step towards the left and cosmic reactions ensues.

He won't tell her. He doesn't have to. She knows all about Kol, has studied him enough to know each and every single movement he makes for any given time.

Kol is her and she is Kol. It's simple as that. After all this time, they have become a single entity. They do not move without each other; they do not eat without each other and they do not even sleep without each other.

Caroline is Kol and Kol is Caroline. It's as simple as that. And this is Caroline and Kol and Kol and Caroline (try saying that three times fast) and this is the end of their beginning, but not the beginning of the end.

When he finally ends the conversation, Caroline is perched on the couch silently as she waits for him (if one of them is busy, then the other waits – this is what a codependent relationship is like).

Kol turns to look at her. He is beautiful and tired and resigned. His shoulders are slumped and she knows, she knows what he is asking of her because one day she'll ask him that same thing.

And she nods her head, her face expressionless. She thinks of what she's leaving behind – she thinks about not waking up early to open the shop or clean her apartment or those night on the couch where it's just them in front of the TV.

Here she is, giving up everything she's worked so hard to build for over three years and while her heart is heavy and her mind screams, she'll turn her back on it all to never leave his side.

After all, Caroline is Kol.

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 _Fast-forward a year (Christmas)…_

"That is the ugliest sweater I've ever seen." Caroline grins because it truly is the most hideous sweater she's ever purchased and maybe she's gone a little mad, but when she sees it in the store – she just has to buy it.

"It's your Christmas present." She says, tears in her eyes as she watches Kol look at the sweater and then at her, back to the sweater and then her.

"You're evil." That she is and she cackles manically as she holds the fabric up for him to see. It's the oddest mix of orange, red and green, with actually white fluffy pompoms sticking out and the picture of two reindeers on it.

She doesn't know why and she's a little hysteric as she comes across it in the department store, but she just has to buy it. Caroline Forbes has to buy the repulsive Christmas sweater and make Kol wear it.

"Isn't it festive?" No, not all. It kind of makes her want to puke. Kol is staring at her as if she's lost her goddamn mind and maybe she has – she blames it on the holiday fever.

"Sweets, did you hit your head recently? The only way that, _that thing_ would festive is if we set it on fire." Yes, of course. She knows that very well. But like she said, she's a little mad and it's been five days of Kol feeding her nothing but eggnog and sugar cookies and she's just so ridiculously happy.

"Please wear it." Kol looks very disturbed at that moment. One second, he's staring at the vile piece of apparel and the next he's jumping over the couch to rip it off of her hands.

She's been expecting that, of course. Caroline isn't stupid enough to believe that Kol would actually wear the horrible sweater, but she really wants to see it on him once. With a sharp turn of her heels, she starts running, giggling the whole time.

At some point, he topples over her (it's the eggnog, Kol's recipe involves more rum that any other ingredient) pining her body down to the floor and placing his knees on each side of waist so he can straddle her.

"Give me sweater." Caroline blinks, sandwiched between Kol and the floor of her apartment. His hands on each side of her head and his face hovering on top of hers. Her hands are still gripping the flimsy piece of fabric.

"No." He's obviously about to protest, but she raises her head just enough so her lips gently brush against his. It's not a kiss, but it's close enough, just the faintest contact, enough to make her wonder what it would feel like to properly kiss Kol, to have him pressed into the mattress of her bed, lips sealed onto his and fingernails digging into his shoulders.

It lasts a fraction of a second and when Caroline leans back down, Kol's eyes are unfocused and his hold on her has loosened.

She doesn't wait and promptly pushes him off of her, the blow knocking his senses back – but he's too late and she's already shoving one of his arms into the ungodly sweater.

If anyone wonders, Caroline does take pictures of him in the heinous orange, red and green sweater with the reindeers and the pompoms.

They don't talk about the kiss.

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 _Fast-forward almost two years…_

Kol has no idea about what love is.

For him, love is stabbing people inside a box when they disappoint you. Love is cursing your children with eternal life and the need for blood and then decide that you've created monsters and try to kill them. Love is being hunted down, unsure if you'll ever life to see the next day. Love is fights and brawls and disagreements and betrayal and pain and hurt.

Kol has zero knowledge about love. He thinks about asking Caroline one day, but he's sure that she also doesn't know what love is supposed to be (for her, love is being pushed and pulled and kicked and defenseless, crying until there are no tears left in you, until there's nothing left in you).

He drops the issue because Kol understands that neither he nor Caroline know about love, that they are not the kind of people who have ever fallen in love and that it's lucky that they've found each other because they are both too damaged to have healthy relationships with others.

"I love you." Caroline is very much drunk, her cheeks pink and a flush of heat on her forehead. She's sprawled on the couch, head on his lap and not at all caring about his personal space (they are past that, especially after this whole time).

"Do you?" Caroline does not shove him into a box when she's disappointed in him. She doesn't try to kill him; she doesn't hunt him. She doesn't hurt or betray – and that's what love is to Kol, at least what life has taught him.

"Of course I do." She never moves her head from his thighs and her vibrant blue eyes stare into his hazel ones and in that moment, she looks pure and innocent and perfect.

"How do you know?" Her hand reaches out to graze his cheek. He thinks he really has to lock to alcohol cabinet next time, that drunk Caroline is too pure, too innocent, too perfect – just like an angel.

"Even if the world burns and I have nothing left, I'll be happy as long as I'm next to you when it happens." He traps her hand between his own and his cheek, closing his eyes to enjoy her warmth.

Is that love? Is it to feel happiness the second you see that person, that the most trivial moments are enjoyable because they just happen to be in the same room? Is it that you feel safe falling asleep just because of their presence? Is it that they keep the madness at bay, that you are two halves, never whole without them?

Is he in love with Caroline?

"I love you too, sweets." She hums.

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 _Fast-forward two years (Christmas again) …_

"Uh, Bonnie? Did I snort a lot of crack again?" Her best friend rolls her eyes and then Caroline knows that this is very, very real. That Bonnie Bennet is currently standing in her doorway with a Turkey.

"I'm sure that's a very nice story, Care. But the turkey is heavy, so it'll have to wait." Caroline moves to let Bonnie in, hot on her trails as she points the direction to kitchen.

"Blondie, nice to see you." And that voice sends an unpleasant chill down her spine, until she has to remind herself that he can't hurt her and that she's stronger now – Bonnie probably has him on a very tight leash anyways. She has absolutely no reason to be afraid of Damon Salvatore.

He's still ridiculously hot and, of course, he's hasn't aged a day since she's last seen him. He comes into her apartment with stacks of labeled plastic containers and a cooler.

"I see the circus is in town." It's Kol's apartment too after all. He leans into the arch, arms crossed over his body, his lips turned into a smirk and with a raised eyebrow. Suddenly, Damon isn't so hot anymore.

"Well, since Caroline…" Bonnie's stare pierces into her soul, the same eyes that her grandmother used to wear when they were younger and got into trouble. "Won't come home – I brought home to her." The witch pauses. "And Damon sort of tagged along."

"I resent that. Blondie and me are practically related by now." He throws an arm around her shoulders and Caroline has never wanted an acid bath so much in her life. And yet she does not pull away because Damon is still home in a way – he's everything bad about Mystic Falls, reminds her of everything she lost.

His blood courses into her veins, has healed her and when she died, it brought her back to life.

"Uh-uh." She deadpans, body tensed. Obviously, her uneasiness isn't missed by Kol. Back home, people always pretended not notice. Damon would come in and she would leave. She'd spent very little amount of time in his presence, never more than necessary.

Now, she doesn't care as much. It's been years and Caroline isn't bitter enough to hold onto a grudge for this long – but back when the wound was fresh, people should have noticed.

And somehow, Kol can sense it. He moves fast and quick and sends Damon flying all the way to the living room. Kol is the most powerful here, didn't you know? Caroline would say that she's mad about her broken coffee table, but with the smile on her face people won't take her seriously.

"Kol." He stops dead in his tracks. She can read his intentions, knows very well that the original won't care about ripping Damon to shreds. He'll cut off his head and wear it as a crown, blood staining his clothes. "Don't kill Damon before supper."

He blinks at her, eyelashes fluttering like a child trying to look innocent. His fists unclench, his shoulders relax and he smiles at her then, playful and mischievous – they understand each other.

"Whatever you say, sweets." And somehow, no one is killed or maimed or harmed as Bonnie busies herself in the kitchen, sending amused stares at a bruised Damon who mumbles about blondies and originals, Caroline who tries and fails to steal carrot sticks and Kol who threatens to cut off her hand if she tries to touch the mashed potatoes again.

Caroline does not need for someone to fight her battles. But as she eyes Kol and Bonnie working side by side in her kitchen and even shares a civilized conversation with Damon, it's nice to know there's someone who cares.

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 _Fast-forward two years, a week (New Year's Eve) …_

Kol should have known. He should've seen it coming miles away.

One moment, he finally has his apartment back (with Caroline, of course) and he literally has to pry Bonnie and Caroline apart and kick Damon away from _his_ couch to achieve that.

He barely has a minute to breath and then Rebekah and Klaus and Elijah and his niece, of all people, show up. Kol already knows that the universe can be a bitch, but he really wants to figure out what crawled up its ass this year.

"She's adorable." Caroline gushes at the two-year-old. Except for the hair, she is the exact same as Niklaus. Kol fears for the world. One Niklaus Mikaelson is bad enough, but a second one can bring the world to its knees.

"Auntie Caroline!" There's a moment where Caroline's face is completely blank. Kol can see it as the child throws her arms around the blonde's neck. And then she smiles, pulling the child upwards and allows the two-year-old to snuggle into her shoulder.

"Auntie Caroline?" Kol feels like in one of those stupid Christmas movies Caroline always makes him watch. It's all so picture perfect, his entire family in one place at the same time, acting civilized and with a child no less.

"Well, I had to tell her something." Klaus says next to him. They both watch as Rebekah and Caroline fuss over the girl and her hair and her perfect dimples and how she'll grow up to be a heartbreaker.

"And what exactly did you tell her?" Elijah tries to wrestle his niece away from the two blondes – he fails. And then Klaus grins at him and Kol knows, he just knows it's no good.

"Hope, Uncle Kol wants to know why Caroline is your aunt." And the girl who answers to no one but her father, turns her head towards them, still tucked safely away in Caroline's arms and gives Kol that look that clearly says 'you're a big dummy'.

"Because she's Uncle Kol's wife! Duh!" Ah. Kol is very calm as he picks up the beer bottle. He turns to Klaus, gives him a cheerful smile and then smashes the bottle on his head.

Conclusion: Kol hates family reunions and he hopes that everyone he knows die in horrible ways so that next year it will only be him and Caroline and their apartment.

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 _Fast-forward three years, one day..._

Caroline has pictured a life without her Kol, without her shop and her apartment many, many times. It's a thought that sends her into trance, makes her reminisce about Mystic Falls and her mother and all of the bad memories.

And for the first year she spends with Kol, sometimes she wakes up from the nightmare short of breath and ready to scream, Kol's eyes searching her face and his hold on her ready to bruise. She realizes that the shop and the apartment and Kol are the only thing she has, the only she thing she needs.

Caroline eventually stops having the nightmares. Every night, she buries her face into Kol's shoulder, in her apartment and she knows that the next day will be the same as the previous one – the nightmares stop.

It's weird then, that after all this time, Caroline wakes up in Kol's bed, panic on her pretty face and arms crossing over her body to shield her from the nonexistent cold. She jerks awake, sitting up like a corpse and Kol's eyes opened as if he hasn't slept at all.

She is no shrink, but even Caroline knows why the nightmares are back, why she dreams of Mystic Falls that night and of demons without faces who shove their hands into her chest to rip out her heart.

"Caroline?" Kol leans into her, wraps his arms around her body, kisses the hair away from her neck and then buries his nose into her collarbone. She breathes at the heaviness of him, of his scent that permeates every aspect of her life, of what she's about to do for him, to be with him.

He must know. Kol isn't stupid, Kol cares, Kol pays attention. Kol loves her, maybe even more than she can possibly love him and this, this is not the end, just another chapter in what promises to be a very epic adventure.

Caroline is scared and it's been such a long time since she's felt the painful twist in her gut and the rush of adrenaline – it's been such a long time since she's felt helpless, that she's doubted herself.

"Don't leave me." She croaks out and she can hear voices in her head ( _drama queen, worthless, insecure, neurotic, shallow, useless_ ) and she tries so hard – and she's never the one.

"Sweets." Kol's mouth is pressed in her skin. "I won't ever let you go." And then his hands move gently up her arms, the touch feathery and light until they reach her neck. She barely feels the snap, doesn't yelp as her head cracks and her body falls, limp and lifeless.

There is darkness.

* * *

 **a/n: God, why am I so awful? Why can't I give Kol and Caroline a happy ending? I try, I really do. It's just so hard. If any of you guessed by the first half of this chapter, this story is almost to an end. At first, I didn't plan on more than three chapters. Then I realized that Kol and Caroline need a lot of explaining and time to become civilized human beings and so this story became much more than I ever thought it would be. The next chapter will be the last, a sort of epilogue if you will. You should all know that while I'm the writer, everyone who reviewed and commented are as much part of the story as I am. In moments where I doubted myself, kind words with a twinge of humour were the encouragement I needed.**

 **As always, thank you for reading. Let me know what you thought of this chapter. I hope you enjoyed.**


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